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Jane Smith
Mrs. Hall
English III
2 April 2014
The American Dream
The American Dream is an integral part of the culture and fabric of the United States of
America. While the idea of the dream has existed since the founding of this country – pilgrims
coming to the shores of American searching for freedom – the term “American Dream” was not
coined until the 1930’s. Popular historian James Truslow Adams wanted to capture the theme of
America and the result was the first mention of the phrase American Dream. He determined that
the dream of Americans is “A land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for
everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (Adams 214-215).
Adams and the founders of this nation saw America as a place of opportunity for all regardless of
race, sex or socio-economic standing; however, the idea of this dream has taken on new meaning
and definitions as the centuries and decades have progressed. Despite changes to the definition of
the American Dream, the dream has maintained Adams’s original intent: freedom of opportunity
for all Americans.
1. A Brief History of the American Dream from 1950 – 2010
Freedom of opportunity seemed questionable as the United States soldiered through both the
Great Depression and Second World War. The 1940’s brought about the end of the war and
became a decade of economic recovery and hope for a better future. The effects and hardships of
the Great Depression were still being felt well into the decade. While the 1930’s and early 1940’s
represented a very dark time for many Americans, the latter part of the 1940’s brought promises
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of light and hope. The American Dream of the 1940’s became one of stability and economic
security. This security consisted of reliable jobs and housing. The fight for economic security was
preeminent in President Roosevelt’s mind as he outlined his goals during a fireside chat in
January 1944: “We have come to a clear realization of the fact … that true individual freedom
cannot exist without economic security and independence” (Roosevelt). To help Americans
realize the dream of economic security, Roosevelt instituted the G.I. Bill. This bill helped
returning soldiers by offering free college tuition and government backed loans for home
ownership. These two basic ideas of education and home ownership brought possibility and hope
to a generation coming out of an economic depression (Ellis and Guettler). In a recent interview,
a returning World War II veteran recounted the lifeline that college became during the 1940’s: “I
had never thought of a degree before the war. College was something that only rich kids were
able to do. For the first time, I was being handed an opportunity. I felt that things became
possible for me when I started college” (Hall 3). The G.I. Bill and other government-backed
economic endeavors helped to solidify the promising idea of economic security and created an
equal playing field for people of all economic backgrounds. The dream of a solid economic
foundation was the hallmark of the American Dream during the 1940’s . . .
2. The American Dream Today
The effects of the recession that began in 2009 continue to be felt currently. While the
economy is stabilizing and job growth continues to improve, it has made current dreamers wary
of hoping for the idealized utopian life of the 1950’s and 1960’s dream. The American Dream
is currently one of stability for adults who weathered the rocky economic storm of the last five
years. While stability is foremost in the minds of Americans, things do not look promising for
the American Dream in the future. A survey conducted by bi-partisan group No Label found
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that of the Americans interviewed “62% believe the coming generation will be worse off”
(Glaston 1). The dream of the past was to strive to provide a better future for the generation to
come. In the current economic climate, this dream has taken a pessimistic turn. The hope for a
better future has become a distant hope. The reality of the today’s dream is making ends meet
with a dark outlook for future dreamers. Even a fixture of the American Dream, home
ownership, has seen a steep decline in today’s gloomy adult environment. The homeownership
dreams of the 1990’s appear to have come to a close. A poll performed by National
Endowment for Financial Education found that only “17% [of Americans] cling to
homeownership as the embodiment of Adams’ vision” (Kadlec 1). This is a major shift in
American thinking as the “home” has been a hallmark of the dream throughout preceding
decades. As home ownership has become more elusive due to foreclosures and strict banking
guidelines, the dream has shifted from the white picket fences to simple security as the
recession comes to a close. While the adult population faces the future looking for security
but with little hope of the future brightening, the youth of America have a brighter outlook on
the American Dream . . .
3. The Attainability of the American Dream
The adult population’s pessimism for the future has not dampened the dreams of the
current youth coming of age in a rebounding economy. Are these high hopes of today’s
young adults naïve? Or does Adams’s original dream of equal opportunity for success still
exist? The obstacles that face dreamers appear to be greater than the helping hands that so
many need . . .
4. Conclusion
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Works Cited
Adams, James Truslow. The Epic of America. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and, 1931. Print.
Ellis, Kate, and Ellen Guettler. "A Better Life Creating the American Dream." American
RadioWorks - A Better Life. American Public Media, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
Hall, Rebekah. Interview with John Smith. 13 Mar. 2014: 1-10. Print.
Glaston, William. "A Decade of Decline in the American Dream." The Wall Street Journal. Dow
Jones & Company, 18 Dec. 2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Kadlec, Dan. "Business Money Is the American Dream Withering or Just Changing
Comments." Time.com. N.p., 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. "On the State of the Union." Fireside Chat 28. 11 Jan 1944. Radio.
Smith, John. Personal Interview. 5 March 2014.